News Brief – July 18, 2010
The resurgent Taliban have dealt heavy losses to Afghan and foreign forces recently as they have carried out increasingly brazen attacks.
On Sunday Britain announced
four more fatalities in 24 hours among its forces in Afghanistan in what appears to be a steadily deteriorating security situation.
As if to underline that the Taliban launched a series of raids in western Afghanistan the same day, reportedly blowing up the gate of a jail and freeing 23 of their comrades inside.
The insurgents attacked four police posts in the town of Farah early Sunday, said the governor of western Farah province.
"They kept the police preoccupied and the same time blew up the gate of Farah's jail, which resulted in the escape of 23 prisoners," said Mohammad Younus Rasooli, the provincial governor.
Four of the inmates were immediately arrested after being wounded in the escape, he said, and seven more were captured later.
But a policeman was killed during the assault, which lasted several hours, he added.
The town of Farah lies in Afghanistan’s most westerly province, close to its border with Iran.
A spokesman for the Taliban, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, confirmed that the movement was behind the attacks.
Last updated 20/07/2010
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